Inklingo
← Dictionary

enseñarle

en-seh-NYAR-lehen.seˈɲaɾ.le

“enseñarle” means “to teach him/her” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to teach him/her, to teach you (formal)

Also: to instruct him/her
A1regular ar
A friendly adult standing next to a small child, pointing at a large, blank chalkboard as if giving a lesson.
infinitiveenseñar
gerundenseñando
past Participleenseñado

📝 In Action

Quiero enseñarle a mi hijo a nadar este verano.

A1

I want to teach my son how to swim this summer. (Here, 'le' refers to 'my son'.)

Es importante enseñarle los valores de la honestidad.

A2

It is important to teach him/her the values of honesty.

¿Podría enseñarle a usar esta máquina, por favor?

B1

Could you teach him/her/you (formal) how to use this machine, please?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • instruirle (to instruct him/her)
  • educarle (to educate him/her)

Common Collocations

  • enseñarle modales – to teach him/her manners
  • enseñarle idiomas – to teach him/her languages

to show him/her, to show you (formal)

Also: to point out to him/her
A2regular ar
Spain (Leísmo)
An adult holding up a vibrant red apple to show a young child who is looking at the apple with curiosity.

📝 In Action

El guía vino a enseñarle el mapa de la ciudad.

A2

The guide came to show him/her the city map.

Tengo que enseñarle el nuevo coche a mi jefe.

B1

I have to show the new car to my boss. (Here, 'le' refers to 'mi jefe'.)

Ella decidió enseñarle sus cicatrices.

C1

She decided to show him/her her scars.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • mostrarle (to show him/her)
  • indicarle (to indicate to him/her)

Common Collocations

  • enseñarle fotos – to show him/her photos
  • enseñarle el camino – to show him/her the way

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedenseña
yoenseño
túenseñas
ellos/ellas/ustedesenseñan
nosotrosenseñamos
vosotrosenseñáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedenseñaba
yoenseñaba
túenseñabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesenseñaban
nosotrosenseñábamos
vosotrosenseñabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedenseñó
yoenseñé
túenseñaste
ellos/ellas/ustedesenseñaron
nosotrosenseñamos
vosotrosenseñasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedenseñe
yoenseñe
túenseñes
ellos/ellas/ustedesenseñen
nosotrosenseñemos
vosotrosenseñéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedenseñara/enseñase
yoenseñara/enseñase
túenseñaras/enseñases
ellos/ellas/ustedesenseñaran/enseñasen
nosotrosenseñáramos/enseñásemos
vosotrosenseñarais/enseñaseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: enseñarle

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'enseñarle' when referring to a female student?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
enseñar(to teach/show (infinitive)) — Verb
la enseñanza(teaching/education) — Noun
el enseñante(teacher) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The verb 'enseñar' comes from the Latin word *insignare*, meaning 'to mark,' 'to designate,' or 'to point out.' This origin explains why the Spanish word means both 'to teach' (marking knowledge) and 'to show' (pointing out something).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: ensinarItalian: insegnare

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it 'enseñarle' and not 'enseñarlo'?

The difference is subtle but crucial! 'Enseñarle' uses 'le' because it means 'to teach/show *to* him/her' (the person is the recipient). 'Enseñarlo' uses 'lo' and means 'to teach/show *it*' (the thing is the object, and the person receiving it is not mentioned or is implied).

Can I separate 'enseñar' and 'le'?

Yes! When you have two verbs (like 'poder enseñar' or 'querer enseñar'), you have a choice. You can say 'Quiero enseñarle' (attached) or 'Le quiero enseñar' (separated and placed before the conjugated verb). Both are perfectly correct.